Protective helmet for table soccer game figures

ABSTRACT

A protective helmet for the head portion of table soccer game player figures, which is firmly resiliently attached to the head of the game figure by loose pivotal connections about the ear portions thereof such that the helmet has natural and free mobile movement relative to the player figure as the figure is pivoted back and forth during play to make the figure appear more active and animated.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Xaver Leonhart 8381 Harburg near Landau, Isar, Germany [211 App]. No. 889,528

[22] Filed Dec. 31, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 [32] Priority Jan. 20, 1969 [33] Germany [54] PROTECTIVE HELMET FOR TABLE SOCCER GAME FIGURES 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 273/85 D, 46/1 16 [51] 1nt.Cl ....A63h 13/00 [50] Field of Search ..273/l29, 85

C, 85 D, 95 C, 95 D; 2/3 R; 46/92, 116

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,230,544 [/1966 Mager 2,297,874 10/1942 Clark..... 3,021,526 2/1962 Lastnik..... 1,648,850 11/1927 Kennedy 3,364,616 l/1968 Speers Primary Examiner Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner- Beatrice Brown Attorney-Brady, OBoyle & Gates 2/3 R 2/3 R 2/3 R 2/3 R 46/92 ABSTRACT: A protective helmet for the head portion of table soccer game player figures, which is firmly resiliently attached to the head of the game figure by loose pivotal connections about the ear portions thereof such that the helmet has natural and free mobile movement relative to the player figure as the figure is pivoted back and forth during play to make the figure appear more active and animated.

mmnumcmsn 1627.322

INVENIOR XAVER LEONHART ATTORNEYS PROTECTIVE HELMET FOR TABLE SOCCER GAME FIGURES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has become necessary to'provide the movable player figures of table soccer games, of the type disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,930, issued Sept. I0, 1968, and as disclosed in US. Pat. Nos. Des. 21 1,259 and Des. 208,480 with protective helmets in the colors of specific teams to make the player figures appear more realistic and add more competitive spirit to the game. The conventional protective helmets of this type are constructed so that they exert lateral pressure on the protruding ear portions of the game figure and are thus held on the head portion of the game figure by means of friction. With this type of prior art helmet, if the lateral pressure exerted by the protective helmet on the ear portions of the game figure is relatively weak, then the protective helmet is soon dislodged from the head of the game figure when the figure is subjected to the normal high-spirited play by quick pivoting movements in the vertical plane. The lateral pressure of this type of protective helmet on the ear portions of the game figure could be increased; however, in that case, it has been found that the pressure must be made so great that it results in the ear portions of the game figure being deformed and bent over, since the ear portions on player figures in existing soccer games are relatively thin and pliable. When this occurs the same undesirable condition recurs as was existent previously when the helmet did not exert sufficient lateral pressure, because the lateral pressure on the ear portions is decreased as the ears bend inwardly and the helmet is again subject to detachment from the figure during high-spirited play. The art is thus in need of a helmet for soccer game figures that will not become disconnected from the head portion of the figure during spirited play, and which can be effectively used on existing soccer game player figures to eliminate the necessity of replacing the game figures in all the substantial number of games presently in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention of the present disclosure eliminates the mentioned disadvantages in a simple manner, and simultaneously achieves the objectives of providing a protective helmet that can be used on existing game figures, and that can execute a natural pivoting motion toward the rear and toward the front of the game figure, as the game figure is pivoted back and forth in the vertical plane, without becoming detached, even during vigorous playing, and which makes the play more animated.

The novel feature of the protective helmet according to the preferred form of the invention resides in providing one recess on each inner sidewall of the protective helmet, wherein the ear portions of the game figure can be accommodated with ample free space. Accordingly, when attaching a helmet to a game figure, the protective helmet, which is constructed of resilient material or the like, is resiliently bent somewhat laterally outwardly only while being inserted on the head portion of a game figure, so that the sides of the helmet will fit over and clear the protruding ear portions of the game figure head. The helmet, according to the invention, springs back into the original, unstressed position as soon as the ear portions of the game figure have registered in the recesses in the sides of the helmet.

Since, in most cases, these protective helmets have only a relatively thin wall thickness, and the ear portions of the game figure usually project markedly from the head of the game figure, in a modified construction of the helmet instead of the recesses in the inner helmet sidewalls, correspondingly large perforations or apertures are provided through the two sides of the protective helmet in the area of the player figure ear portions. These apertures are covered on the outside of the helmet by emblem-bearing members glued or adhered to the outer sides of the helmet to hide the apertures. The emblembearing members are constructed of thin sheet material such as paper or plastic and are customary anyway in connection with identifying the opposing teams on the game table and are popular with the public.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of an exemplary game figure of a table soccer game, and showing a protective helmet according to the invention attached thereto;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and showing the preferred helmet construction; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section as view similar to FIG. 2 and showing a modified form of the helmet of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A table soccer game player figure, of a type well known in the art and constructed of particularly light impact-resistant synthetic material, such as plastic, is shown in FIG. I as consisting of a central body portion 1, a head portion 3 formed on top of the body portion, and a foot portion 10 depending from the body portion. The central body portion 1 is provided with a large transverse bore 2 for receiving an actuating or control rod, not shown, which extends completely therethrough and is joumaled in bearings on opposite sides of the table. The game figure is rigidly connected to the control rod, and in conventional manner the control rod is movable longitudinally and can be twisted to rotate the same, relative to the game table, to respectively effect movement of the player figure laterally of the table and pivot the player figure back and forth in the vertical plane. It is to be understood that in conventional manner the control rod suspends the foot portion I0 of the figure a short distance above the game table playing surface, indicated at II, such that an operator by manipulation of the control rod causes the foot portion 10 of the game figure to contact a game ball rolling of the table surface 11, to direct it toward a goal.

A protective helmet 4, preferably constructed of resilient plastic material, is inserted over the head portion 3 of the game figure. The crown portion of the helmet is substantially semicircular in side elevation, as shown in FIG. I, substantially elliptical in horizontal section (not shown), and inverted U- shaped in vertical transverse section, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, with the opposite vertical sides 13 of the helmet having lower side extension portions 12 terminating adjacent the chin and jaw portion of the game figure head portion 3, that are of circular configuration and having convex exterior surfaces that define, for instance, a surface portion of a sphere. The circular lower side extension portions I2 are provided with outwardly extending lugs 14, on each side of the helmet, onto which are frictionally snapped in detachable fashion, the apertured ends 15 of a protective guard 5, that is U-shaped in horizontal plan, and extends in front of the face opening of the helmet. The helmet is provided with an emblem strip 7 in the color of a representative team, running longitudinally of the exterior crown of the helmet, and is provided with team emblems 6 on the exterior of sides 13. These emblems are preferably on sheet material such as paper or plastic film, adhered to the sides of the helmet.

The head portion 3 of the game figure is provided with ear portions 8 protruding from opposite sides thereof. These ear portions are in the form of small protruding lugs. The inner surfaces of opposite vertical sides 13 have recesses 9 formed in the walls thereof in the area of the ear portions. These recesses 9 are substantially larger than the ear portions and can, for instance, be approximately twice as wide as the width of the ear portions 8 and approximately one and three-fourths the height of the ear portions. The recesses 9 should provide ample free space around the ear portions 8 when they are registered therein to thus form loose pivot connections between the game figure head and the helmet.

The resilient, pliable helmet 4 is flexed to enable the sides 13 to fit over the ear portions 8, and when the ear portions 8 register with and enter the recesses 9, the helmet resiliently swings back to its original shape, thus entrapping the ear portions in the recesses with the sidewalls 13 in close proximity to the side of the head portion 3. In this position the helmet is held securely on the head portion and cannot be dislodged without substantial deformation of the helmet. The inner dimensions of the helmet are larger than the comparable dimensions of the head portion 3 and the recesses 7 are positioned on the transverse center axis of radius of the crown portion so the helmet is free to pivot back and forth about the ear portions 8 when the game figure is subjected to a corresponding pivoting motion by the control rod. The helmet in FIG. 1 is illustrated in the normal or rear position in which the rear terminating edge 16 of the helmet normally engages the back of the central body portion 1. From this position the helmet is free to rotate forward toward the front until the bottom edge of the protective guard engages the front of the body portion 1. This flopping back and forth of the helmets during play provide the player figures with more animation as they are manipulated during play to provide more moving action on the game table and make the game play appear even faster and more active than it actually is.

FIG. 3 illustrates a modified construction of the helmet of the invention. In this form the recesses 9 are formed as perforations or apertures 9 through the sidewalls 13 of the helmet. The apertures 9' are of the same dimensions as the previously described recesses 9. The walls of the helmet are relatively thin and for many game figures, due to the distance the ear portions extend from the head portion 3, rather than increase the size of the helmet or increase the wall thickness the simple solution of providing apertures through the sides of the helmet has been found very effective. The ear portions are thus confined in the apertures when the helmet is installed and the edges of the apertures form the loose journals for the ear portions.

The emblems 6 of sheet material adhered to the outside of the helmet cover the apertures and hide the ear portions 8 thus disguising the sidewalls l3 and making them appear as continuous unapertured sidewalls. The emblems 6 may be self-adhesive-type emblems or they can be glued in place, or attached in some other manner.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

1 claim:

1. In combination with a table soccer game figure in the form of a human figure and of the type having ahead portion with ear portions protruding from opposite sides thereof, a protective helmet having a crown portion adapted to loosely fit over and substantially enclose the game figure head portion, said crown portion having opposite sidewall portions adapted to fit in close spaced relation with the head portion in the area of the ear portions, said opposite sidewall portions having recesses formed therein substantially larger than the ear portions and adapted to register with and firmly confine the game figure ear portions laterally therebetween and loosely confine the ear portions therein in the plain of the sidewall portions, said ear portions and recesses forming a pivot connection between said head portion and protective helmet, said crown portion having a radius greater than the radius of said game figure head portion about an axis transverse of said opposite sidewall portions, and said recesses positioned on the transverse axis, whereby the protective helmet is adapted to freely pivot back and forth on said head portion about the ear portions on movement of said game figure.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said recesses comprise apertures through said opposite sidewall Portions 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 including emblem members of relatively thin material connected on each of said opposite sidewall portions, and said emblem members positioned on the outside of said sidewall portions to cover said apertures.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said crown and opposite sidewall portions are molded of resilient plastic material, and said opposite sidewall portions are resiliently deformed to engage the ear portions in said recesses.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said recesses have a depth constituting substantially the entire wall thickness of said opposite sidewall portions. 

1. In combination with a table soccer game figure in the Form of a human figure and of the type having a head portion with ear portions protruding from opposite sides thereof, a protective helmet having a crown portion adapted to loosely fit over and substantially enclose the game figure head portion, said crown portion having opposite sidewall portions adapted to fit in close spaced relation with the head portion in the area of the ear portions, said opposite sidewall portions having recesses formed therein substantially larger than the ear portions and adapted to register with and firmly confine the game figure ear portions laterally therebetween and loosely confine the ear portions therein in the plain of the sidewall portions, said ear portions and recesses forming a pivot connection between said head portion and protective helmet, said crown portion having a radius greater than the radius of said game figure head portion about an axis transverse of said opposite sidewall portions, and said recesses positioned on the transverse axis, whereby the protective helmet is adapted to freely pivot back and forth on said head portion about the ear portions on movement of said game figure.
 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said recesses comprise apertures through said opposite sidewall portions.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 including emblem members of relatively thin material connected on each of said opposite sidewall portions, and said emblem members positioned on the outside of said sidewall portions to cover said apertures.
 4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said crown and opposite sidewall portions are molded of resilient plastic material, and said opposite sidewall portions are resiliently deformed to engage the ear portions in said recesses.
 5. The combination as set forth in claim 4 in which said recesses have a depth constituting substantially the entire wall thickness of said opposite sidewall portions. 